Wilson Pickett
Hey Jude

THE REVIEW

I see greedy hands choosing Hey Jude by the 'evil' Pickett from an infinity of sacred monsters of Soul Music, but they choose confidently, decisively, guided by the memories of a voice that fills rooms, warms spirits, and saturates the air.

Pickett was one of the greatest soulmen of the star-spangled sixties. Born in the warm and temperate Alabama and raised to the sound of gospel and spiritual, thanks to a sharp, strong and passionate character, and a stunningly aggressive voice, he would become one of the symbols of that era's R&B, contributing to the 'release' of Rhythm & Blues, confined and relegated in those years only to a Black audience. Recognizing in him the fabric of an idol, signed by Atlantic, he would churn out one success after another and establish himself not only as a composer of his own pieces but especially as a great interpreter of covers. Moving from the studios at Stax Record in Memphis to those at Fame in Alabama between '68 and '69, he would release 'Hey Jude', an eighth endeavor if considering the various Best of, where he would demonstrate his incredible qualities as a 'vicious' of Soul.

But what is 'Hey Jude'?

'Hey Jude' is a warm, positive, and vibrant album. It is a song to love as a feeling, to love as physicality, as pleasure. Everything inside it feels the animalistic charge of Pickett. Everything. Every melody, every intonation, every verse oozes passion. That wild sense of rhythm, that hysterical and rhythmic phrasing 'à la Pickett' marks positivity and sadness, joy and search, the flame, and the unrestrained desire towards his women depending on his state of mind or the piece we will listen to. With Wilson we might find ourselves, as in 'A Man And A Half', in an open declaration to enjoy the joys of love forever or for just one night as in 'My Own Style Of Loving' and 'Night Owl', because after all, everything a night can offer can be forever. We will feel with Pickett the urge to shout this feeling in its simple basic meaning in 'Hey Jude', where his bittersweet and carnal sob will gift us one of the most thrilling reinterpretations of this great Beatles piece. We will need to sing our being wild and free to the notes of the gritty revisitation of 'Born To Be Wild' by Steppenwolf or we might let ourselves be seduced by the snappy saxophones of 'Sit Down And Talk This Over' or the teasing choirs of 'Sweet Ispiration' in 'Save Me'. Along with his arrogant and rough voice we will shout all our love in 'Toe Hold' and wish his seductive panting would never stop by singing the soulful ballads of the album: 'Search Your Heart' and 'Back In Arms'. Unique pieces these, rare gems of another age.

This is nothing else but what 'Hey Jude' is. A jolt inside. A lightning excitation. The meeting of those two imperfect halves of the world that are man and woman and the wonder that can arise from their clash.

... I like to remember having met Wilson Pickett in a tiny room of a wintery Paris thanks to a person who, when introducing him, laughed and told me it was Wilson, Wilson the 'evil'... So I never got that impertinent voice out of my head.